Nowhere To Hide

I was reading an article on Forbes that attempts to define today’s media landscape. The writing opens with a claim that the term media is now “abused” and that the content continuum from professionally produced to amateur’s is becoming more fluid.

The resistance I spot in such outlook can be no more than futile to me.

As overwhelming as the drastic evolvement of our digital scene can appear, it’s still worth the effort, especially for media professionals, to simply wiggle out of the box of traditions and approach the newness with a fresh mindset. What was taught back in journalism school offers one reference frame but that shouldn’t become the limiting factor.

A change is no longer as good as a rest. It’s better than a rest.

I agree with some quoted views in the article that media is profitable content. Period. And that creative advertising is a share of the pie when originality is valued by the market and therefore takes precedence.

The complex message here is, readership is key but it alone doesn’t prescribe. What is predetermined in this whole game is that the readers are simultaneously trained to grow a discerning eye. The incessant evolution of the readership, to me, is a key factor that outlines the digital landscape.

That last point is critical. Because creative content that has no monetary value risks losing the title. Readership matters. If the creative work doesn’t sell, instead of sticking to the bubble, we creators need to find out what went wrong. There is nowhere to hide in this digital age.

But at the other extreme, to just follow the readers’ taste is exactly staying behind the curve. It’s a strategically complex task to get head. But the tested-and-still-true rule is, ultimately, good content wins.